


What Does Love Feel Like?

by sydneyxface



Category: One Piece
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Red String of Fate, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:47:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28283436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sydneyxface/pseuds/sydneyxface
Summary: If Zoro had to choose between the red string connecting him to his Soulmate or his dream, he knew which one would be forgotten in the dust. He placed a hand over the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. The dream wasn’t just his to fulfill. He had to reach it or he would never forgive himself. Even his Soulmate wouldn’t be able to stop him.Or so he thought.In-Universe story. Pre-time skip. Takes place moments before Zoro is recruited by Luffy.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 41
Kudos: 251
Collections: Zosan Club - Secret Santa 2020





	What Does Love Feel Like?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ElAlmaDelMar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElAlmaDelMar/gifts).



> This is a gift for ElAlmaDelMar for the ZoSan Secret Santa! I hope you enjoy it, Del! It was an honor to write this for you.

A bead of sweat dripped down the bridge of Zoro’s nose and evaporated mid-air before it could soak into the dirt. He slowly blinked at his boots. It had been way too many damn days to count since he had been tied to the wooden cross in the courtyard. Even though his stomach growled and his shoulders ached, he pushed through to the next minute so he could reach the next hour to reach the next day. The punishment was hardly over but if he wanted to live to be The Greatest Swordsman, he had to do just that:  _ live.  _

The heat boiled Zoro’s skin but he ignored it. To allow something he couldn’t control to bother him would be a waste of energy he didn’t have, and even if he did, he couldn’t afford to waste it on the damn sun of all things. Zoro was on the verge of nodding off again from exhaustion when he heard the approaching sound of footsteps. 

_ “Shishishi,”  _ a boy laughed in front of him. Zoro wished to look but his stiff neck wouldn't permit it. The footsteps continued closer and stopped just before him. Another bead of sweat fell down his face as a pair of sandals came into view. “I found you,” the boy said and then there was a tug on Zoro’s left hand. “You must be Roronoa Zoro!”

The feeling was foreign to the swordsman. When he came of age, two strings appeared; a white one tied to his pointer finger, and a red one tied to his pinky. Both have never moved unless he himself made them. Today, the white one moved on its own. Well, it was actually because the boy in front of him was  _ continuously yanking on it as if Zoro didn’t get the fucking point already. _

A hand at Zoro’s jaw lifted his head until he met eyes with the other. It hurt his neck and between his shoulder blades - but he could deal. The boy had large, innocent brown eyes and they stared into him, unblinking as if he were silently speaking to him, then the boy’s mouth split into a grin that reached from ear to ear. 

“Name’s Monkey D. Luffy and I’m gonna be the next Pirate King! Join my crew.”

___

Zoro did end up joining Luffy’s crew, which, including him, totaled the very large and overwhelming number of two. They sat in a small rowboat that was barely big enough for the both of them and let the water take them to their next destination. Over the few weeks Zoro had been traveling with Luffy, he had never asked about the string that connected them. 

The thing about the damn strings was they were sort of a mystery to Zoro. All he really knew was they revolved around fate, and if there was something he believed in, it was that. If something were meant to happen, it would - that was that. So, even though the string concept was more romantic to others, to Zoro it was  _ just fate. _ If he ever saw the ends of the two strings that were tied to him, then he did! But if he didn’t? Then it wasn’t meant to be.

That was before the other end of a string showed up. Now that he had one of the two unknowns answered, Zoro was itching to know what laid at the other end of his red string.

“Can I ask you somethin?” Zoro said, catching Luffy’s attention. The kid cocked his head and hummed that he was listening. Zoro lifted his left hand to gesture towards the strings. “Do you know anything about these?”

Luffy nodded and slowly crawled towards Zoro’s end of the boat. It began to sink on one end causing it to become flush with the ocean waves. The swordsman complained while Luffy made himself comfortable next to him, their knees touching in the small space. “I was told they’re connected to someone you’d do anything for!” Zoro listened intently. “Makino said they’re called ‘Fatemates.’”

“Who’s Makino?”

“The lady who told me about the strings, I just said that!” 

Zoro ground his teeth together, reminding himself this kid was dumber than a box of rocks and he wasn’t pissing him off on purpose.

Water lapped over the side of the boat, soaking their pants. Luffy stared at Zoro, waiting, almost as if he knew there was more he wanted to say. The red string on the swordsman’s pinky was loose. It dipped into the boat, slightly floating above the inch-deep water in a coiled mess, then climbed the side until it disappeared into the ocean far beyond he could see. Zoro swallowed and decided to ask another question. “Do you know where your other one leads?”

“Which one?” Luffy asked. Zoro wasn’t sure what he meant. “I mean, which one are you talking about?” he said and held up both hands, fingers splayed and wiggling excitedly. 

Unsure why he had to specify, Zoro sat up and pointed to his pinky. “The fuckin red one, idiot. Do you know who's on the other end of yer red one?!”

The boy scrunched his eyebrows. “Red? Don’t got any of those. Only white ones.”

“You got multiple? How many?”

Luffy laughed and thrust his hands out again, shaking the boat. “TEN!” he shouted way too happily. The brunette cradled his hands to his chest and touched the tip of each finger, tracing what Zoro assumed was the invisible string attached to them. “I’ve only found the end of this string here,” he said quietly, landing on the last one, the only one Zoro could see. 

The conversation died off for a while leaving Zoro to his thoughts. He never talked to anyone about the strings before. He had heard things here and there and even was hired once as a bodyguard so the client could find the other end of their red string, but he was too cowardly to talk to a stranger about it. For some reason, it was easy to talk to Luffy. 

He supposed that was why they were connected, though. 

___

Before Zoro knew it, Luffy’s crew had doubled in size. The kid must be lucky or something because he found  _ another  _ Fatemate, three in total. The scrawny kid with a long nose and bushy hair seemed to be the third person, the Witch being the second. Usopp, the kid’s name was, had said he was going to go off to sea to be a brave warrior, but Luffy tugged hard on the string that connected the two of them, pulling Usopp forward to land face-first into the sand. How Usopp thought he could get away from Luffy was beyond him, but he’d learn. Just like Nami would learn. The fiery girl was still quite adamant she wasn’t going to be a part of anything that had to do with pirates, white string be damned.

The ship they were given had a name: The Going Merry. She was huge! This meant no more feet kicking him in the face in the middle of the night! It meant a place to actually store a few days worth of food! God, there was room for a  _ couch!  _ It had been way too long since Zoro felt a cushion on his backside. Whatever the reason Luffy had so many damn strings attached to his fingers, it didn’t matter. This particular string brought along a  _ ship!  _ Zoro smiled at Usopp, who was currently yapping away at Luffy as they explored their new home.

The days went by as the four of them sailed. Zoro liked Usopp’s reaction to hearing Luffy had  _ ten  _ strings. Even if none of them were red, that was still the most he had ever heard of, the most  _ any  _ of them had heard of. Nami said one time she read about someone with two red strings and Usopp said he didn’t believe it. Zoro didn’t find any reason  _ not  _ to believe it.

“So you know about the red ones, then?” Zoro finally asked the girl. She rolled her eyes and said  _ of course  _ she did. He tried not to take offense as to whatever the hell that snotty-ass comment meant. “Well, uhm. Can you...explain?”

Nami tapped her foot impatiently and huffed a breath. “You don’t know anything about them, do you?” Zoro shook his head, followed by Usopp sputtering some nonsense. Even Zoro knew he was lying, the damn bastard. “You have one?”

Zoro’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He didn’t think he’d be asked such a question. Weren’t these things private? Did people go around asking about these strange, invisible strings that appeared once you hit puberty? Seemed sort of rude, at least to Zoro. He never had confirmation, but he could only assume what the red one meant. If the white one represented….friendship? That means the red one meant…. 

“I’ve got one white one,” Zoro started, lifting his hand and pulling. Luffy laughed as his hand shot up and stretched out. “And one red one.” Zoro slowly let his hand fall back to the railing at his side as he turned his head to look out at sea. The wind was persistent, pushing Merry over the rolling waves. It felt weird to be on a boat for this long. Before he met Luffy, he had hardly been on one at all.

“Wow! Even a dopey muscle-head like you can fall in love!” Nami cackled, throwing her head back and clutching her belly. The other two joined in, laughing until tears came to their eyes. Zoro didn’t know why it was so funny, why his physique had anything to do with falling in love. All he wanted was more information. He wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be anything in his way to become The Greatest.

Nami calmed herself. She said she was sorry and waved the others to quiet down. “What did you want to know?”

He felt dumb, but knew he shouldn’t. Zoro grumbled under his breath until Nami yelled at him to speak up. “I just wanted to know what to expect.” He turned to look at Nami, and as he spoke, he gestured to the three of them. “Luffy has found three of his  _ ten  _ strings in just a month and a half! I...I guess I want to know what I should expect to happen if I find my...my…”

“Your Soulmate,” Nami finished for him. “Right. Because of the whole ‘Greatest Swordsman’ deal? You want to know if it will stop you from achieving your dream.” 

Zoro couldn’t look away from her. As much as her snippy reply had annoyed him, she was completely right. If he had to choose between his red string or his dream, he knew which one would get forgotten in the dust. He placed a hand over the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. The dream wasn’t just his to fulfil. He had to reach it or he would never forgive himself. Even his Soulmate wouldn’t be able to stop him. He nodded to Nami, confirming what his priority was.

The redhead scoffed, rolled her eyes, and threw her hands in the air. “Honestly, men are so stupid!”

_ “Hey!” _ all three boys said in unison.

“Do you really think you  _ have _ to choose one or the other?!” Nami stomped over to Zoro, harshly poking at his forehead with each word. “You! Can! Have! Both!  _ YOU IDIOT!” _

“Both?” Zoro asked, swatting her hand away and rubbed the sore spot on his head when she quit.

“Yes!” Nami shouted. “Do you honestly think your Soulmate would ever take your dream away from you?!”

And that, Zoro had never thought of. 

___

It was night. Luffy stayed up, saying they needed someone to keep a look out now that they had a bigger ship. With a bigger ship came more supplies and with more supplies came bandits. The swordsman had offered to take the new job as he didn’t mind staying awake but Luffy insisted he do the first ever shift as captain. Zoro couldn’t suppress his small smile while he nodded his understanding.

Usopp’s nose whistled as he breathed and Nami’s knee was in Zoro’s back. She had ‘accidentally’ fallen asleep in the boys bunk again, fooling no one that she was lonely in the girl’s room by herself. As she resituated in her sleep on the small couch, she knocked Zoro forward  _ again.  _ He growled but didn’t move from sitting against the couch on the floor. He had one leg up, an arm resting over his knee, and had been inspecting his red string for a little over an hour.

The witch’s earlier words had been bouncing around in his head. A Soulmate who wouldn’t stand in the way of another’s dream seemed more than ideal, more than Zoro thought he deserved. The thread was quite thin but no matter how hard he pulled, it didn’t snap. He had never been brave enough to cut it. It’s not as if he  _ wanted  _ to get rid of it. Just one day he was curious and tugged on them quite hard and nothing had happened.

What would the other half of himself be like? He supposed they would have to be headstrong in the least if they were going to be dealing with him. Zoro laughed to himself and wrapped the loose red string around his hand a few times and squeezed. The idea that there was someone out there that he was going to meet someday and change his life forever was exhilarating to think about. 

One day, he  _ would  _ be the Great Swordsman and that meant one day, he wouldn’t have an ambition anymore. Zoro gave another squeeze over the string while making a promise to himself. If he still hadn’t met the person who was connected to him after gaining the title he sought after, Zoro would make it his new goal to find them on his own. He’d pull himself across the sea by the string to get to them if he had to. Maybe, just maybe, some things didn’t have to be entirely left to fate.

___

The pirates crew had a name now: The Straw Hats. Usopp had painted a Jolly Roger for them and hung it up high on Merry for the world to see. It was more than good luck Usopp was artistic because Zoro would have sliced the previous design to shreds if it stayed like that. Zoro glared at the back of Luffy’s head at the thought of sailing under the ugliest scribble of a design he had ever seen in his life. 

As Usopp painted the Straw Hat on the mainsail now, Zoro and Luffy’s stomach gurgled simultaneously. They both whipped their heads over their shoulder at the floating restaurant they had happened upon. 

___

Luffy was an idiot, but Zoro had realized that on day one. Shit, even  _ minute  _ one from meeting him! Kid had rocks for brains.

The newest stunt the noodle had pulled was aiming his ballooned belly towards the restaurant -  _ bouncing a cannonball straight at it!  _

So yeah, then there was a huge hole in the roof of the building and Zoro decided it wasn’t his problem. He, Usopp, and Nami went inside to grab a table and get some grub. Eventually, Luffy had joined them and told everyone he was stuck there doing chores until he could repay the owner back in labor. As he went on about what the owner looked like, something about a huge, braided mustache and a tall hat, Zoro zoned out.

Ever since he entered the place, Zoro had this weird buzzing feeling coursing through his body. His mind drifted as he thought about it, wondering what it was about this place that made him feel such a thing. It could be the machinery under the ship, or maybe it was the weird light bulb choices, or even the static in the air that made him vibrate. Zoro looked around the table at his three new friends and stared, trying to pick up whether or not they felt it, too. Just as he opened his mouth to ask, he snapped his head towards Luffy in anger, ready to yell at him to stop pulling on their fucking string!

Except he wasn’t.

Luffy had both arms crossed over the table, his hands cupping his biceps. The white string that connected them was perfectly still, the mess of it curled on the table before them. Zoro’s eyes flickered to one of Luffy’s fingers that twitched at the same time his own did. With great and forced effort, Zoro swallowed as he looked down at his hand and saw the red string lightly jerking every so often. He smiled. Of course his Soulmate was also connected to Luffy. His heart thudded against the underside of his chest as he slowly scanned the room for any trace of a red string.

“Zoro?” Luffy asked when the swordsman got up from his seat.

Zoro resituated his swords and then grabbed the string in both hands. The buzzing became louder, the voices of Nami and Usopp asking if he was okay hardly audible. Zoro licked his lips and took the first step forward towards his Soulmate.

The string led around tables, making Zoro follow in a circle around them and ignoring the other patron’s confused looks and haughty gasps when he came too close. A slight burning sensation tingled his fingers as the thread slid across his skin, beginning to rub it raw. As he walked around the restaurant, he coiled the string under his arm and over his hand, collecting every bit until he reached the end. Following his feet, Zoro came to a stop when he saw that he landed at the bottom of the spiral staircase that was in the middle of the restaurant. He slowly looked up and saw the red string crawling over each step and around the column until it disappeared. Looking back at the table, Zoro saw Luffy turned in his chair, one arm over the back as he stared at his First Mate from across the restaurant. The Straw Hat captain subtly nodded at Zoro for him to ascend the stairs, his head moving only a sliver. 

And so Zoro followed the thread up the stairs.

At the top was a pair of swinging metal doors, a circular window in each. The moment Zoro set a boot onto the landing, a waiter burst through the door, almost colliding with him.

“Oh, pardon me, sir!” A blonde man had said, backing up before the both of them took a tumble down the staircase and readjusted the platter balancing over his right hand.

Zoro stared, his mouth agape. 

He stared for three reasons, actually. The first was because the low murmur of the restaurant below had disappeared completely and the pulsing buzz that filled his ears had stopped. All that he could hear was the harsh, raspy breaths he took to keep himself alive in this monumental moment.

The second reason was because those harsh breaths he tried breathing took more work than they ought to. He heaved air into his lungs and even fell down one step, the blonde thrusting out his free hand as if to catch him but stopped short when he realized Zoro wasn’t truly falling. Who knew breathing was so hard.

And the third was because the man in front of him was  _ beautiful. _ Zoro realized the guy was quite literally taking his breath away only by standing there existing and nothing else.

“Uh, excuse me, sir, but I need to get through and you shouldn’t be...up...here…” the man trailed off as he looked down at what Zoro was holding; a bright red nest of thread tangled around his arm. One strikingly blue eye, the other hidden behind a curtain of golden hair, went wide at the sight of the string pinched between Zoro’s forefinger and thumb. Zoro watched his gaze trail from his fingers, across the thin strand, and then over to himself, following it until it disappeared under the platter he held. For good measure, the man switched the plate to the other hand so he could confirm exactly where the string led, and when he indeed confirmed it was attached to him, he hesitantly gave an experimental tug on it. His eye bulged impossibly wider when he saw Zoro’s hand react to the motion. He tugged again and then lifted his head.

Here Zoro was, face to face with his Soulmate, the person he thought he’d have to wait years to meet - if ever! It felt almost surreal to be meeting them before he gained his World’s Greatest title, so much more sudden than he had initially planned. There were a thousand questions bouncing around in his head, begging to be spoken to learn more about this man, but Zoro couldn’t form any of those thoughts into a sentence because he was too transfixed with the color of the man’s eye. The compelling contrast of blue against his pale skin had him transfixed so deeply, his mind might as well have turned to mush. He wanted, more than anything, to take a step up onto the landing to be on the same level as him, but he felt cemented in place by the man’s weighty stare. 

The blonde’s eye fluttered as he repeatedly blinked away his daze before breathily saying, “Y-you’re my..?”

Zoro wanted to laugh, whether it was from the comically cliche collision they almost had or the lack of oxygen to his brain - either way, a light chuckle bubbled from within. “I’m your So-”

A gunshot from below snapped them both back to reality, all the sound of the world crashed back into them like a tidal wave, piercing their ears and leaving them ringing. 

Leaning over the railing of the stairs to search the restaurant below, the two learned the gunshot came from a pirate demanding to be fed - or more people would die.

___

As the smallest ‘sword’ he had ever seen punctured his chest, Zoro thought it was sort of funny, ironic even, that he had met his Soulmate only a few hours ago and was now going to die for his dream - right in front of him.

To Zoro’s front was his life’s goal, which was now shattered into a million pieces because he was weak, the gap between him and the greatest much larger than he could have ever prepared for - and to his back, his Soulmate, screaming for him to abandon his ambitions if it meant he would live.

Maybe in addition to it being comical, Zoro might have even thought it sad. The first  _ real _ emotion Zoro made his Soulmate feel was pain, and that he should be sorry for. And he was. 

The blonde man desperately called from behind him, begging for him to give up, yanking on the thread in hopes to pull him away from Mihawk. Zoro pulled back with all his might so he could hold his ground with his pride still intact.

Zoro slowly closed his eyes when Mihawk unsheathed his black blade from behind his back. With each breath Zoro took, he could feel his pulse throbbing, his blood oozing down from the gaping wound in his chest to stain his front. He took one last deep breath in when he heard the blade ripping through the air towards him and puffed his chest out, refusing to back down.

Mihawk’s blade sliced across Zoro’s chest, splitting him open from clavicle to hip. Zoro cried out in pain and fell on his back. His left hand jerked back towards the restaurant from his Soulmate trying to pull him away from danger and closer to him, the man’s voice going hoarse from all his yelling.

Zoro felt pathetic for losing so easily. He had never stood a chance. The failure of a swordsman lay on the remains of the ship Mihawk had cut in half staring up at the sun in the bright blue sky. He smiled, because though the sight was pretty, it paled in comparison to his Soulmate’s eyes.

The angle of the wreckage Zoro lay upon left him sliding toward the edge. His forearm dangled in the water and behind him, he could hear Luffy yelling for him, too. Losing in front of his rival, his Fatemate, and his Soulmate was far beyond pathetic. What made it worse was Zoro was sure he was going to die, too. Before slipping into the water and falling unconscious from the pain wracking his body, Zoro felt a little dejected he never was able to learn that gorgeous man’s name before leaving him behind forever.

___

It wasn’t until an entire day later Zoro found out his Soulmate had joined Luffy’s crew. He and Yosaku followed the Straw Hat captain to the island Nami had run away to, Comi-...er, Cono-something. Whatever. The name of the island was the least important thing on Zoro’s mind. 

Right now, what Zoro was trying to understand was why Nami would cut him loose after he had been captured by the Arlong Pirates...but also kill Usopp. The damn woman didn’t make a lick of sense. On top of that mess, the thought of never crossing paths with his Soulmate ever again wouldn’t leave his mind. That could have been their only encounter. Honestly, it was probably for the best because the swordsman didn’t think he could ever show his face in front of the blonde after that major _embarrassing, humiliating,_ _demeaning_ loss….he’ll have to become much stronger...

Except, since no one could refuse Luffy and his sunshine charm, Zoro was now standing under the hot sun five feet from that damn blonde waiter. The air was already tense because Nami had come by to tell them to leave the island unless they wanted to die, and even admitted to killing Usopp, so it didn’t help when his Soulmate was angrily tapping his shoe against the dirt while puffing on a cigarette, glaring daggers at him.

The captain, who Zoro thought would have gone after Nami, decided to fall flat on his back and take a nap because he didn’t want to deal with anything right now and shit, Zoro could get behind that. He wanted to follow suit but Johnny and Yosaku came up to him, interrupting. They explained how this adventure was no longer fun for them and they wanted to leave. Zoro understood that well enough. He bid them goodbye.

Zoro dragged his captain out from under the boiling sun to the shade of a thick oak tree. He sat Luffy against the trunk and straightened to wipe his brow before planting both hands on his hips as he watched the waiter smoke yet another cigarette. Even from afar, Zoro could see that blue eye peeking out from his bangs, staring at him. Now that it was just the two of them, it was hard not to take the glaring personal when there was no other source of anger to influence such harsh looks.

The blonde held up his stringed hand, curling his finger at Zoro, beckoning him to come closer. Zoro swallowed back the lump in his throat, knowing there was nothing good coming from this, he could just  _ feel _ it. When Zoro went up to him, the man turned on his heel and walked away. He gestured over his shoulder for the green-haired man to keep up with him. Zoro followed.

Once they were a decent distance away from Luffy, his Soulmate wheeled around, still sucking on a cigarette. 

“So,” he started, nose turned up to the sky. He blew a plume of smoke out, the white wisp curling over his nose before it was forced away with his exhale. “You’re Roronoa Zoro. Pirate hunter. Looking to be the Greatest Swordsman.”

Zoro’s brow creased. “How did you…?”

“Yosaku told me. On the way here.”

“Right,” Zoro said, looking down at his boots. He forgot some people didn’t mind opening up to others to ask questions. Of course Zoro’s damn friend would be happy to talk about him. “That’s right.”

The blonde stepped forward, getting into Zoro’s face. He wore a scowl and his eye scanned over him with what appeared to be  _ disgust.  _ Zoro decided he didn’t particularly like that look on him. “I hate you.”

Those words spat at the swordsman were pure venom and when they reached his ears, they stung. He even felt himself wince, recoiling from the pain. "I...I'm sorry," is all Zoro was able to voice. 

"I begged you!" The man suddenly yelled. Zoro was sure the whole island could hear. "I begged you to leave that maniac be but you refused! And for what!" He asked and forcefully gestured to the blood-soaked bandages tightly wound around Zoro's chest. "For this!? To get sliced in half because you couldn't let go of your pride!?" 

That hit a nerve. What did this guy know? He didn't! He didn't know anything about Zoro. "You don't get to judge me," he growled in a warning tone.

The blonde threw his hands in the air and turned away. He mumbled under his breath as he fumbled to light a new cigarette. "Yeah, I know," the waiter quietly said, finally. When he turned, Zoro saw the anger he was feeling had disappeared and was replaced with...sadness. Zoro's heart wrenched. "How could you do that to me? You show yourself and then immediately turn around to die right in front of me? My family? My home!?" His chest heaved while he tried calming himself back down. With the hand that held his cigarette, he played with the red string attached to them. Zoro waited to see if he had anything else to add because clearly he had really fucked up his first impression and the guy was not happy with him. 

Suddenly, the waiter yanked on the thread pulling Zoro forward, stumbling over his boots. "Oi!" 

"I hate you!" He yelled again, but this time, his voice cracked. His grip on the string had Zoro unable to back up, his arm moving each time it was yanked. "I waited to meet you since I was twelve, and the day you meet  _ me, _ you pick a fight with a glorified murderer, tripping over your own dick because you couldn't get out the door fast enough to abandon me!"

"I wasn't abandoning you!"

The blonde crinkled his face and even Zoro could see from this angle he was holding back tears. "Don't lie," he hissed and slammed his fist over Zoro's chest, keeping his hand there. Zoro let him, knowing he was only letting out his frustration. Voice significantly lower, he continued. "I know abandonment when I see it. You didn't even care to learn my name before you left."

How could Zoro defend himself against that? It was true, everything he said was true. Once that Gin guy threw the restaurant into chaos, they didn't have another moment together, and then Mihawk showed up and nothing else in the entire world mattered. All that Zoro knew was he had a dream to fulfill and it was standing right in front of him. How was he supposed to know he didn't have a chance against the Warlord? His Soulmate could wait twenty minutes while he earned the World's Greatest title, then they could get to know each other later. 

But that didn't happen. Zoro lost in a landslide and it almost cost him his life. And after he was saved by Yosaku, the four of them were off to chase after Nami and his Soulmate was left behind.

Oh. 

Yeah. 

That was definitely abandonment. 

"I'm sorry," Zoro said weakly. He brought his hand to his chest to hold his Soulmate’s, but it was snatched away as if it would get burned before Zoro could even brush the milk-white skin. Instead, Zoro played with the red string for something to do. He felt awkward and even ashamed.

"Yeah, you said that already," the man said bitterly. 

Zoro wasn't very good at this kind of stuff. Cutting things, drinking, sleeping, those were easy and really, they were all he knew. Emotional confrontations and guilt? Those, not so much. It took a lot of courage, but Zoro managed to look the man in the eye and ask, "What's yer name?" 

Off in the distance, a familiar voice rang through the air. The two turned to see someone running down the beaten path the boat had made when it crashed. Zoro squinted and realized it was Usopp! He wasn’t dead! Which again, made Nami’s actions all the more strange...did she not finish the job? Did she not think him completely dead and he managed to escape? Something was fishy, that was for sure, but they would soon find out when the long-nosed kid explained to them what happened.

"It's Sanji," the man said and left without another word.

___

The gaping wound across Zoro’s chest hurt, but that shit would have to wait. Now wasn’t the time to let something so menial distract him, not when there was a gang of Fishmen to take down. The Arlong Pirates were bad news and Zoro was more than happy to assist Luffy in taking them down for good. Arlong’s three main henchmen made their way towards them, cackling about their superior race, unaware they were going to lose.

“Octopus should be boiled in salt water, sliced, and seasoned with olive oil and paprika,” Sanji said, coming to stand between him and Luffy. Zoro raised an eyebrow at him. The blonde had another smoke in his hand, casually puffing on it as he explained the intricacies of cooking the enemy. Despite the situation, he had this graceful poise about him, even while seeming so casual about his ramblings of cannibalism. Then, he turned to Zoro with a smile that made his heart skip a beat. “Pairs well with booze.”

How could someone radiate more sunshine in one smile than Luffy? Zoro remembered the very first moment he had seen his captain’s trademark smile, but this...Sanji was...different. Sanji was...Zoro’s stomach felt like it was doing flips. Sanji was beautiful. He didn’t know how many times he was going to repeat that in his head, but Zoro knew for sure that was the right word to describe the blonde.

“It’s funny,” Zoro said quickly before the octopus-man could spit his ink out at them. “Fer a waiter, you sure sound like you know what yer talkin about.”

“Hah?” Sanji said, ripping his cigarette from his mouth and waving it about. “I’m not a waiter, dickhead. I’ll have you know I was the  _ sous chef _ back on the Baratie!”

Zoro didn’t have time to ask what a ‘soup chef’ was because the octopus-man was now tearing up an enormous chunk of cement and heaving it Luffy’s way - who was still rooted to the ground! The sound of steel rang through the air as Zoro released Wado Ichimonji from her sheath and took a step forward to protect his captain, though it was Sanji who moved faster.

The blonde dashed in front of Luffy and that was the last Zoro was able to see before the rock smashed them both. The swordsman stood still, unable to fully comprehend what he just saw. Both his Fate and Soulmate were crushed and all he did was stare, mouth hanging open like an imbecile! Zoro coughed from inhaling the dust and waved his hand in front of himself, and as the smoke faded away clearing just enough for Zoro to make out the two silhouettes of his crewmates, he couldn’t believe the sight. 

Debris crumbled around them and the dust cloud faded away, revealing both Sanji and Luffy still standing and perfectly unharmed. Sanji had a shoe pointed to the sky, the foot that must have cracked the cement in half. Amazed, Zoro’s jaw was still to the ground. He had no idea Sanji could...that Sanji was…

Holy shit, Zoro’s Soulmate was  _ strong.  _ He laughed - he couldn’t help it! It was easy to understand now how this man was considered his Soulmate after witnessing such strength. He loosened his grip over the hilt of Wado and straightened to look over his shoulder at the villagers who cheered for them. When he turned around, Sanji was looking at him. 

A shiver ran up Zoro’s spine wondering just how much power those legs could wield.  _ Is he stronger than me? _ He smirked back at the blonde, silently accepting his challenge for later because right now,  _ they had fish to fry. _

___

It wasn’t a matter of ‘if they won’ but more of ‘how they would win.’ Not for a second did Zoro think those shitty, lowlife Fishmen had the upper hand over Luffy and the rest of the crew. The fight was tough and his chest hurt like  _ a mother _ but that didn’t mean losing was on his mind, even while being strung up in the air by his neck in the fist of Arlong himself. 

Zoro sat on a crate against the building watching the villagers party their hearts out all day and well into the night. He sipped on his beer feeling content. The World’s Greatest Swordsman title may not be his, but he was still happy. A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he watched the tall blonde carefully weave in and out of the partiers to not spill his drink, apologizing when he bumped into someone and bowing when he passed a woman. The guy was a dork but he seemed alright so far.

A nearby lantern lit Sanji’s face up as he neared and Zoro was able to see the shiny gloss over his visible eye. “Drunk, Cook?” he said, flicking his head upward at him before he passed him by.

“Oh,” Sanji said, genuinely startled. “Why are you hiding in this dark corner?” he asked and stepped off the road and into the alley with the other.

Zoro shrugged. “Ain’t really my celebration. I just cut a few people down,” he inclined his head at some dancers behind Sanji. “Them, though? They got their freedom.”

Sanji nodded his agreement. He sighed and then leaned against the building across from Zoro, only the right side of his body illuminated, the rest cast in shadow. With his free hand, he maneuvered his smokes out of his pocket and placed a cigarette over his lip then lit up. The end burned bright when he sucked his first breath in. The two of them watched the villagers in silence until Sanji finished his cigarette.

With another sigh, Sanji slid down the wall until his bottom met the ground. He rested his forearms over his bent knees and rolled the invisible thread connected to Luffy between his fingers. Zoro watched him smile to himself while he played with it. “He’s…”

“Chaos,” Zoro answered with an eye roll, which caused Sanji to laugh. His shoulders shook up and down until he regained himself. 

“Yeah, he’s definitely chaotic, isn’t he?” Sanji said almost too low for Zoro to hear. Then he said, “I was going to say he’s admirable.”

‘Admirable’ was an understatement. Zoro couldn’t help but play with his own white string at the thought of their captain and the great things he would no doubt accomplish in their future. He would have added on a few more words but was interrupted by Sanji tugging on  _ their _ string. He followed the red line until his gaze landed on the little knot around Sanji’s pinky finger, then continued upward to meet the blue eye. 

Zoro threw back the rest of his beer for something to do and Sanji swallowed what looked to be half of his mug. His bottom lip came off the glass wet and Zoro watched a line of booze trickle down his chin before Sanji was quick to wipe it away. “I’d like to thank you,” he started, looking back to the crowd. Usopp’s voice was loud above the rest of the low murmur, his obnoxious singing filling the night’s air.

Raising an eyebrow, Zoro watched Sanji for a moment to see if he’d continue. The blonde bangs covered his face from this angle so Zoro couldn’t even attempt to read his facial expression. He cleared his throat and asked, “Fer what?” because clearly the blonde didn’t plan on explaining on his own.

“For trusting me with Luffy’s life,” Sanji answered, turning to look at Zoro again. He swallowed the rest of his beer and set his mug aside to rest in the dirt. When he continued, he pulled out another cigarette, tapping it over the pack a few times. “Damn idiot would have drowned if I didn’t swim fast enough, we both knew that. You didn’t object but I could see it in your eyes, you know. The hesitation.” 

Zoro broke eye contact to look down into his lap. He readjusted his legs under himself and sat up straighter on the crate. Sanji stopped talking but it didn’t sound like he was done speaking his mind, so he waited. The smoke from the cigarette wafted across the alley, filling the space between them.

“You didn’t want to leave something so important up to someone else. You wanted to do it yourself.” Zoro silently picked at his fingernails and nodded he was right. “But you were in pretty bad shape and-”

“So were you,” Zoro interrupted, looking up. 

“Sure was,” Sanji chuckled. “And that’s why I’m thanking you.  _ I _ knew I would succeed, but  _ you _ didn’t. You took a chance. So thank you, Zoro.”

Zoro huffed but nodded again. He dropped his head to hang, squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to forget the pained expression Sanji wore just earlier that day. “Does this mean you ain’t mad at me anymore?”

“Hmmm,” Sanji hummed sarcastically, a hand to his chin.

Zoro frowned. “I said I was sorry, didn’t I, Dart-brow?!”

Sanji was going to retort but snapped his mouth shut after hearing that. “‘Dart-brow?’” he asked with confusion.

The silly look on the blonde’s face had Zoro doubling over in a fit of laughter. Both hands clutched tight to his belly, he laughed and laughed until Sanji bonked him over the head with the heel of his shoe. “Oi!”

“What the hell does ‘dart-brow’ mean?!” Sanji shrieked.

After Zoro finally got a hold of himself, he leaned back against the building and twirled a finger in front of his forehead. “You know, cause the curly thing you got goin on here.”

Sanji’s jaw dropped as he openly stared at Zoro in complete shock, as if Zoro were the first person to ever tell him such a thing. Then he slapped his hands over his eyebrow to hide it and even in the low lighting, it was obvious his face had gone scarlet. “Th-that’s not funny. And what about you?” he asked and pointed an accusatory finger to Zoro’s hair.  _ “Mosshead!” _

The insult made a vein in Zoro’s forehead throb with annoyance. He lurched forward and growled, “What did you just fuckin call me?”

Sanji lifted a foot and pushed at Zoro’s shoulder to keep him at a distance. “You heard me. Looks like someone plucked fungus right from the forest floor and it became sentient somehow... _ although, just barely,”  _ he added with a sneer.

Above them, high in the sky, fireworks exploded, drowning out the next insult from either of them. Sanji turned his head a few times trying to find the source but wasn't able to see until Zoro pointed to the area behind him. The guy looked scared until he saw what was causing the noise when he leaned to the side and peeked his head around the corner. There was only a smoke trail left behind by the time he saw but the blonde waited, still leaning on one hand to watch. Zoro read Sanji’s lips mouthing around the word ‘wow’, his voice completely drowned out as another set of fireworks went off. 

“Hey,” Zoro said when the sky went dark again. Sanji turned to look at him. “I can see it fine from here.” It was supposed to sound casual but he had a feeling it came across as very forward. Even if they were destined to be Soulmates, they still hadn’t known each other for more than a day. Sanji blinked at him. Zoro scooted to the right and patted the open space for Sanji to take the hint. “If you want.”

Sanji was quick to take up the offer, to Zoro’s surprise, hurrying to his side and getting comfy on the small crate just in time to see the next batch go off. If someone were to ask Zoro if he enjoyed the light show he’d have answered ‘yes.’ Yes, because the sight was phenomenal. Was breathtaking. Left him awestruck. The way every color danced across Sanji’s smooth, pale skin, the way the lights reflected in his glassy eye and sparkled across an ocean of blue, and the way every firework made Sanji smile like a small child had Zoro reaching up to clutch the sudden ache in his chest. Doing so caused their shared string to tickle the top of Sanji’s hand.

“Are you alright?” Sanji asked. Zoro opened his mouth but when the next  _ boom  _ went off, Sanji whipped his back to the sky. “Do you need your stitches looked at?” he yelled over the noise, his eyes still glued to the fireworks.

It hurt. His chest hurt. Not because of anything Mihawk did, or the Fishmen, or the doctor who sewed him shut - it wasn’t physical pain he was feeling. His chest was sore on the inside, the throbbing ache leaving him unable to take the next breath he so desperately needed. He gasped a little when he finally willed himself to get his lungs working again and couldn’t believe he was feeling so lightheaded just by looking at the man next to him.

“Why’re you,” Zoro started, his voice cracking at the end. He cleared his throat and evened his breathing. “Why’re you acting like you ain’t ever seen fireworks before?”

Sanji waited until the sky was clear again to look over and answer. “It’s because I haven’t. I grew up on the ocean,” he said and glanced to see if anything was shooting up yet, then returned back to Zoro. “I’ve heard of them from the restaurant staff, but I’ve never-” he was cut off by the grand finale starting.

Boom after boom echoed through the sky, reverberating between the houses and rattling rib cages all around. Try as he might, but Zoro could not break away to look at the show. He only had eyes for... _ he only had eyes for… _

The swordsman swallowed, his throat suddenly very dry. Why was it so painful to exist right now? Why did it hurt to do nothing but stare? The fear to blink in case he missed even a second kept going through Zoro’s mind.

Once the final firework had sizzled to nothing and the night’s sky was turned grey with wispy smoke, Sanji clapped along with the villagers before turning his attention to Zoro.

“Wow! That was incredible!” Sanji laughed. “What did you think?”

Managing to break the trance Zoro found himself caught up in, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. He saw Sanji’s eye follow something down his face so he touched his cheek with the tip of his fingers, pulling them away to find they were wet. Quickly wiping away the tears, Zoro let out a soft chuckle before saying, “It was beautiful.”

___

As the wax filled Zoro’s lungs, he decided he didn’t really want to leave his Soulmate behind. The end of his life was definitely nearing, courtesy of Mr. 3, and there wasn’t much he could do about it. There was a thick shell of wax layered over his, Nami’s, and Vivi’s body, cutting off their senses from the world. Zoro’s insides slowed down as the wax hardened his organs, and all he could do was hope Sanji wasn’t out there watching him die all over again while turning into the perfect wax figurine. He’d hate for him to feel anymore pain because Zoro was stupid and got himself caught by those Baroque bastards. 

His shins throbbed. Zoro could feel the blood falling from the deep cuts he made and filling the wax shell at his feet. It was gross but Zoro would be dead soon anyway.

Except he didn’t die and he had to deal with his boots being full of blood, making squishy noises every time he walked. Everyone sat around the giant’s den, laughing, crying, and glad everything had turned out for the better. Zoro picked off a few stray pieces of wax on his arm that hadn’t melted. It was then when Sanji’s voice yelled from the jungle’s edge.

Zoro whipped his head the blonde’s way, happy to see him running towards him - well, technically he was running towards a half-naked Nami, which totally didn’t irk the swordsman at all but whatever. Once Sanji had laid his jacket over the redhead’s shoulders to cover her up, he sat down on the log next to Zoro and pulled out a cigarette.

How do you tell someone,  _ ‘hey, I almost died but I didn’t and I’m glad I didn’t because that means I get to live another day with you in my life’ _ ? Was that even a thing people said to others? The chef looked relaxed sitting there and Zoro decided he’d keep his thought to himself, not wanting to bother him.

After being caught up on what happened with the Baroque Work agents, Sanji explained what he had done while he was missing. Usopp was quite pissed he hadn’t been there to help, but once he heard Sanji had steered Mr. 0 away and off their trail for now, he cooled his temper a bit. Everyone cheered when he presented the Eternal Pose to Alabasta. Even Zoro couldn’t suppress his smile. There was no way they could stay on Little Garden for an entire year to wait for the log pose to set!

The crew started making their way back to the ship. They were on a time crunch to help Vivi and her country, so they all said their goodbyes and moved on. Zoro grabbed Sanji by elbow to hold him up.

“Yeah, Mossy?” Sanji said, biting down on the filter of his cigarette. Zoro’s eyebrow twitched hearing his attitude knowing Sanji was only being impatient because he wanted to walk with the girls. Once the crew had disappeared into the hedges, Zoro pulled Sanji into a hug. “Ah- oi!” Sanji wheezed but made no effort to move away.

Zoro pressed his face into Sanji’s neck, ignoring the sweat from the jungle’s heat. Besides throwing punches and kicks, this was the first time they had touched. Sanji felt so, so good against him, too. He was skinny but hard with lean muscle. Sanji’s hands lightly touched over the small of Zoro’s back as he whispered into his ear. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Yeah, so it was entirely out of Zoro’s character to be affectionate but  _ god dammit, he almost died!  _ It wasn’t death he was afraid of, but the fear of never seeing Sanji’s smile again, or never hearing his laugh again, or never sharing the food he was so happy to serve again. Was a Soulmate supposed to take over every thought you had, consuming your everything? Zoro breathed Sanji in, squeezing him a little tighter before finally answering. “Nuthin, just...it’s good to be alive.”

In Zoro’s arms, Sanji melted against him and returned the embrace. They stood there holding each other until they heard a sharp squeal from Usopp and laughter from their captain echoing from deep within the trees. “Come on, big guy,” Sanji finally said, guiding them to walk in the right direction of Merry. Upon taking their first step, Zoro stumbled, forgetting the wounds on his legs. Sanji caught him, one hand on his abdomen and the other over his back.

“I’m alright,” Zoro said, not wanting to worry the other. He winced when he saw Sanji look down, knowing damn well he was going to get reprimanded. 

_ “What the fuck happened?!” _ Sanji shrieked, steadying Zoro in a way he could still crouch down to get a better look. “Oh my -  _ Zoro! _ Your legs are sliced to the -” he cut himself off and leaned in closer to confirm what he was about to say next. “They’re sliced to the bone!”

The reaction was probably normal but Zoro didn't think it was that big of a deal. He had to save his friends, didn't he? If he wanted to see Sanji another day, cutting off his feet was the only logical thing to do. There had to be some way he could still become the Greatest Swordsman with no feet...right? Sanji was bitching at him now and Zoro genuinely felt bad but he would do it again if it meant he could be right here, right now with the blonde. He explained what he did and why but it seemed to only make Sanji more mad after hearing the stupid reasoning behind the action.

“Honestly, you’re way more trouble than you’re worth!” Sanji snapped, running his fingers through his hair.

“You don’t mean that.”

“Yes I -” Sanji stopped when he saw Zoro’s face, his eyebrows turned up and wearing a slight frown. Zoro was given a lop-sided smile and a dramatic sigh in return. Sanji shook his head then looked down at his hands, twisting and pulling at the red string a few times as he chewed on his bottom lip.

“Right?” Zoro pressed.

Sanji looked up to meet Zoro’s grey eyes. The hand with the string tied to it hesitantly lifted to cup one of Zoro’s cheeks. “No,” he said quietly and gently rubbed his thumb over tanned skin. Flakes of wax feathered away. “I don’t really mean it, Zoro.” Sanji’s eye flicked down to his lips and Zoro did the same, loving how his lip had turned rosier from the biting. His heart hammered against his ribcage when those pale fingers slid through his hair. He closed his eyes, relishing the tingly feeling Sanji’s short nails left when his fingers scraped across his scalp. The feeling was short lived, though, because the chef tightened his grip in Zoro’s hair and yanked. “But you  _ are _ trouble! Now let’s  _ go _ so we can get those wounds dressed,  _ you absolute idiot!” _

“Ow - okay, okay!” Zoro said, trying to duck away.

“Plus I want to show off how much bigger my catch is. I bagged a  _ huge _ dinosaur and there’s no way you got anything bigger.”

Zoro gawked, tripping over his tongue, only managing to babble a  _ ‘Hah?!’  _ before Sanji tugged on his hair again, dragging him towards the Merry, knowing damn well the moss would get lost if he didn’t.

___

After getting patched up with stitches from Usopp, Zoro limped into the kitchen for a well deserved drink. The cuts on his legs stung from the antiseptic Usopp used. Damn, they really  _ did  _ need a doctor on this ship because at this rate, they were going to fucking die. Zoro huffed a laugh as he pushed through the galley door, passing by the Merry’s chef busy at the counter.

Zoro flopped down at the table with a grunt. He opened his mouth to demand some booze but when he looked at what was on the table, he stopped. In the middle sat a ceramic sake bottle and a small cup. Wary of the offer, Zoro darted his eyes to his left to look at Sanji. His back was still to him, the cook paying him no mind. Deciding to just go for it, Zoro reached forward and slid the objects toward him.

The bottle was chilled and the sake was clear. To think he was given some of the better stock had Zoro even more suspicious. Choosing to keep his trap shut and just  _ enjoy _ the gift, Zoro poured his first cup and brought it to his chin. The flowery aroma had him slowly closing his eyes in bliss. This particular smell reminded him of home. He took his first sip and smiled. As predicted, the flavor sent him way back to his early childhood when he would sneak alcohol away from the adults. Downing the rest, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. 

Pouring his second cup, Zoro turned to watch Sanji. He propped his elbow on the table and rested his cheek in his palm, occasionally sipping on the sake. The red string between them bounced up and down with every gesture of Sanji’s hands, and when his movements were less exaggerated, it stilled. While Sanji put the final touches on whatever the hell he was making, Zoro’s curiosity got the better of him. It was too damn coincidental. 

“How’d y’know?” Zoro asked Sanji’s back.

For a moment, the blonde ignored the question. Only when Zoro thought he might not have heard him at all did Sanji finally acknowledge him. He turned ever so slightly to look over his shoulder, wearing a smile that Zoro would never get sick of seeing. He crooked a finger, beckoning the swordsman to join him at the counter. The fact that Sanji didn’t treat him any different despite his legs almost being chopped off had Zoro grinning like an idiot. Sanji knew he was strong and didn’t need coddling. Zoro rose from the table and limped the few steps it took to stand next to the blonde.

With the hand that had the red string tied to it, Sanji traced the edge of a platter filled with assorted small cakes and stared blankly down at it. “Heard you and Luffy talking,” he admitted. Zoro noticed Sanji’s cheeks were tinted pink and he wondered if it was from too much sun or maybe it was the close proximity they were of each other. “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but as you know, it’s a small ship. Searched for a while back in Loguetown. You’re lucky I’ve got a good memory,” he said, looking into Zoro’s eyes and poking his chest a few times. “There was a shitty, rundown place in a back alley that carried  _ one _ brand of sake from Shimotsuki Village.”

Unable to keep his eyebrows from rising to his hairline, Zoro hummed his approval. “It’s a small town.”

“That’s what the vendor told me,” Sanji said and returned to the plate. He picked up a cake and nodded for Zoro to take it, and so he did. He eyed it, noting the thick frosted coating. It’s a dinky cake, he could just swallow it whole and get it over with, but opted against it.

“Dunno if I’ll like this, Curly.” 

“Try it.”

“Don’t really like sweet stuff.”

Sanji’s eyes widened in what appeared to be shock. “Oh,” he said under his breath. Without further question, he took the cake from Zoro and put it back on the plate. His hand hovered over the others, tongue clicking, as if he were searching for the right one. Landing on a light brown one, he happily showed it to the swordsman. Zoro scrunched his face. 

“Still got frosting on it,” Zoro whined.

Rolling his eyes, Sanji impatiently said, “I know it does, moss-for-brains.  _ Try it.” _ Rather reluctantly, Zoro grabbed it and took a small bite. To his surprise, it was peanut butter. “Well?” Sanji eagerly asked him. He looked as if he really cared for Zoro’s opinion, as if he would base the quality of his job on whatever Zoro would say next.

“S’good,” the swordsman said after chewing the rest of the small cake. 

Sanji deflated. “Just ‘good’?” he asked.

“Mmhm. Like everything else you make.”

And then Sanji went rigid, his shoulders stiff from halting halfway in their movement. The pink on his cheeks had flushed to a deep red and he turned his head to hide it. “You like my cooking?” he asked softly. Zoro wanted to laugh because it was such a stupid question.

Resting his lower back against the counter, Zoro lifted his threaded hand to grab under Sanji’s chin and turned it so he could see his strikingly blue eye. Sanji let him. “Just cause I ain’t good with words, don’t mean you ain’t a good cook.” 

Zoro gave a good squeeze over Sanji’s chin for reassurance when the blonde smiled. He slid his hand up to rub his fingers over his cheek, feeling the stubble that had grown in since his last shave. Sanji leaned into his hand, closing his eyes. “I know, I know.”

Out on the deck, the two pirates could hear their navigator screaming at Usopp and Luffy for horsing around. There was a commotion, the thunking of boots and slapping of sandals running across the deck, then the familiar sound of flesh slapping flesh, and the running instantly stopped. 

“You don’t know much about the red string, do you?” Sanji asked him. Zoro ceased his movement, embarrassed to admit he knew nothing, and went to drop his hand but Sanji stopped him, his threaded hand lightly gripping his wrist. Zoro shook his head and swallowed back the lump in his throat. The gap between them seemed even smaller than before, the swordsman acutely aware of the sides of their thighs touching. “So that means you don’t know what happens when the two ends meet?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper. Wanting to answer, Zoro opened his mouth to try and speak but the complexities of saying the word ‘no’ multiplied by a thousand when Sanji was slowly gliding his hand over Zoro’s, bringing his red string closer to his own...so close to connecting…

The galley door opened and Usopp sauntered in. Both Zoro and Sanji quickly retracted their hands and moved away from each other. Zoro wasn’t sure why they always did that any time someone else was near, but they did. Usually when it happened, there was a sting in Zoro’s chest and he wondered if Sanji felt it, too. Was there something to be ashamed of? Was there a reason to hide the fact that they were Soulmates? Whatever the answer, it would be wrong to only blame the guilt on Sanji because Zoro pulled away just as often as the blonde.

The sharpshooter mumbled under his breath about being abused by women. On his forehead sat a decently sized goose egg, pink and throbbing. He pouted a little until he registered Zoro was on his feet again.

“Zoro! What did I tell you!” Usopp squaked, waving his hands all over. “You have to stay off your feet if you want your legs to heal properly!”

Zoro rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. There it was again - the annoying ‘special treatment’ of needing to rest and get better and blah blah, who gives a shit! His legs would heal just fine whether he walked on them or not. This is why he respected Luffy minding his own business and appreciated the cook to challenge him to keep going, to get stronger, to improve himself. The white and red strings attached to him made more and more sense each passing day Zoro spent with them. They really got him. Understood him. 

The other two exchanged a few words while Zoro silently watched trying to suppress his annoyance from the interruption. Sanji had been on the verge of telling him something that seemed important. If it had anything to do with their connection, Zoro was interested, especially if it was Sanji who was the one telling him. What could it be that he wanted to say? What  _ would _ happen if the knots in their strings connected?

Usopp’s shrill laughter jerked the swordsman from his thoughts. Blinking a few times to clear his vision that had blurred, he saw Usopp leaving the kitchen with an ice pack over his forehead. The platter on the counter was snatched up by Sanji and before he left too, no doubt to give the girls their share, he plucked one more cake off the plate.

“Open,” Sanji said. His eye flicked down to Zoro’s mouth and he couldn’t help but lick his lips. The suggestive attention made Zoro feel almost self conscious. “Open,” Sanji repeated and this time, touched the cake to Zoro’s lips. A breathy laugh escaped when he got his way, Zoro complying easily as if this were a normal thing between them. “They’re called  _ petit four _ , by the way. Now come on. The ladies are waiting for me.”

The flavor this time was coffee. It was good. Learning Zoro didn’t like sweets didn’t trip Sanji up in the slightest, he barely even stumbled. The guy really was good with food and, like a good chef, he cared for his client’s tastes. They had a long journey ahead of them and Zoro would be lying if he wasn’t excited to see the different types of foods he’d be eating along the way. 

“Wait!” Zoro blurted, reaching his hand out and grabbing the back of Sanji’s collar.

“Oi, oi!” Sanji said and wheeled around with his leg outstretched. 

Blocking the kick with his forearm, Zoro said, “what were you going to tell me? About the connection?”

Sanji sighed after flipping his bangs back into place. “Later,” he growled and stomped away. 

Shrugging, Zoro followed after. Didn’t matter if Sanji held out on him, he could always  _ beat it out of him.  _ That thought brought a smile to the swordsman’s face. Yeah, there was always that, wasn’t there?

___

Pride was all a man would have left after being stripped bare. When you gave someone your word, you gave them more than just an utterance, more than just a handshake. You gave them a piece of your pride. A little piece to show them you are the man you say you are, that you claimed to be. 

Afterall, this was simply a fight between humans, and humans were easy to beat. Shit, after you win a fight against god himself, what was a mere fight against mortals? Any fight was winnable, Zoro had always believed that. Anything could be beaten, anything could be overcome, and anything was possible. He had already witnessed things he could never have imagined in his journey as a Straw Hat, and hell, he had to believe in the impossible if he was going to become The Greatest Swordsman. 

So, with his pride, name, and crew on the line - Zoro would win this fight, especially when he had his Soulmate at his back. The opponents had no idea who they were messing with. It wasn’t against the rules to take someone’s life...and who could blame them if they did?! They  _ are _ pirates, and pirates don’t play fair. 

That’s why these mother fuckers in the Groggy Ring Game were going down. Foxy and his lame ass pirate gang had nothing on the Straw Hats! Who cared if their players were two times, twenty times, two-hundred times bigger than them! Zoro and Sanji would show them up (even though Zoro was way better suited for this and Sanji might as well sit this one out).

“I can’t believe I’m wearing this thing,” Sanji said as he stamped out his spent cigarette.

If Sanji whined any more than he already was, Zoro might slice him up himself. Sometimes, as a man, you have to make sacrifices! And Zoro was willing to sacrifice the cook’s handsome looks if it meant he didn’t have to wear that ugly ball on top of his own head. He had a reputation to keep, you know? Appearances sometimes worked wonders, especially since he had a bounty now. 

Stifling a laugh, Zoro put his best fake smile on and turned to Sanji. “Wow, it actually looks great on you!” Which wasn’t  _ entirely _ a lie, though Sanji didn’t believe  _ him _ when he said it, but believed that damned witch. What was so different about the way Zoro told him?! Nami said the exact same thing as him and the damn love-cook was all heart-eyes and spinny twirls! Zoro scoffed as he lined up on the field across from the enemy. 

The game started off a bit rocky with both Zoro and Sanji getting knocked around. Neither of their lives were in danger, and of course they would survive this whether they won or not, but that didn’t mean time didn’t slow for Zoro when he saw Sanji flying through the air, blood spurting from his mouth, and a dazed look on his face. 

That was his  _ fucking Soulmate _ and Zoro couldn’t even catch him when he fell. Being bulldozed across the field by their tackle machine, Pickles, Zoro wasn’t there for Sanji. The red string between them flapped in the open air and all Zoro had to do was  _ tug _ and then Sanji would be out of harm’s way. That stupid, curly eyebrow!

The blonde must have seen that look in his eye that told him exactly what he was thinking because he changed as if a switch had been flipped. His eyes bulged at the sight of Zoro grabbing their string, and in an instant, Sanji spun out of Hamburg’s sweaty grip and kicked him into the ground.

“I can’t let that stupid swordsman save me,” Zoro heard Sanji say. He was such a brat for saying that, but he still respected the shit out of him for it. If Zoro had to cover his ass then maybe Sanji really wasn’t his equal. If he couldn’t hold his own over a game that had barely started, then maybe this Soulmate shit was all wrong and Sanji wasn’t right for him. He was glad that wasn’t the case and he didn’t have to use their cheat string to win. They could win with their wits and strength. They could do this. All they needed was ten seconds worth of teamwork.

___

The wind blew heavily across the flat planes of the prairie land of Long Ring Long Island. Luffy had won the last round which meant they needed to celebrate before they moved on. It was easy to fall into such a predictable routine when you were a Straw Hat; get in trouble, fight your heart out, win, celebrate, do it all over again. Such a lifestyle was stressful. Zoro wouldn’t be surprised if he started to sprout grey hair at the young age of twenty-five. 

All the excitement of watching Luffy taking hit after hit for his crew made Zoro tired. Never did he doubt his Fatemate would lose to such a weak pirate, but damn if it didn’t take a lot out of him to watch him continuously go down. His jaw hurt from clenching his teeth. Stupid rubber idiot.

The grassy land held a small beach off to the west. Zoro was busy wandering around and stumbled upon it. Since the sand was dry and the beach was a step down from the island, he thought propping himself against the edge would shield him against the cool wind. What he didn’t expect to see was the ship’s chef knee-deep in the ocean, sifting through the water.

The swordsman slowly stepped down into the sand trying his best to go unnoticed by the other. Untangling his swords from his hip, he set them against a nearby rock and sat atop it to watch Sanji. He looked to be foraging for shit that he’d make for tonight’s celebration. 

Each time he bent to search the ocean floor, his tongue would stick out in concentration, then he’d bite his bottom lip when his hands found something. The wind flowed through his hair, making a mess of it, and tossed his loosened tie behind him. The light ocean spray had caused the ends of his hair to curl. Zoro saw the small waves roll in towards shore, licking at the edges of Sanji’s rolled up slacks. 

Sanji chucked a handful of mussels into a basket a few feet from him. It swayed with the water’s movements, never quite tipping before it was forced upright again. The sun was on its way down, casting everything in its light a golden hue, backlighting Sanji. A thin, bright outline traced the edges of his silhouette, and Zoro couldn’t look away. The longer he sat there staring, the less detail he could make out of the chef as the light disappeared. 

The task wasn’t anything spectacular, and Sanji wasn’t wearing anything special, but god damn...Zoro covered his chest where he could feel it aching in want. Their shared red string lazily laid over the water’s surface, snaking over each bumpy wave and twisting around the basket until it climbed its way up to Sanji’s right pinky finger.

Zoro could hardly catch his breath looking at the man. He rubbed his sternum with a wince, longing for him. It was funny how someone could live so close to you,  _ be _ so close to you, yet, they were miles away. Their thread was strong, there was no doubt about that. They had the best connection out of all the crew, and that was including Luffy. Whether it was because they were Soulmates or...something else...Zoro didn’t know. And he didn’t know what that ‘something else’ was, either. He just knew it hurt to think about it.

What he did know was he would die for Sanji. Zoro huffed a laugh at himself after admitting that, even in the privacy of his own mind. How pathetic. Giving his life away for someone else when he himself hasn’t even reached his dream! The very reason he set out on these waters! But what was a dream if Sanji wasn’t living, breathing in this world? So what if he gained the title he needed to satisfy Kuina’s memory? There would be no one on the other end of his red string...it would be empty. There would be no Sanji, and Zoro wouldn’t allow that to happen. Today, right here on this tiny beach, he swore he would jump in front of that blonde man if it meant to save his life, even if it meant he’d die in his place.

Sanji straightened, stretching his back. The gust of harsh wind blew his hair around and he cursed as he tried setting it right again. In the process, he noticed he had a mossy audience. 

“Oh, hey Zoro!” Sanji said, his voice so angelic and kind. His smile was too bright, even with the sun at his back, making Zoro glance away. “Make yourself useful and help me out.”

That was easier said than done. Maybe to the chef it didn’t seem such a task to place one foot in front of the other, taking one step at a time to get closer to his Soulmate! Right now, Zoro was sure his legs were filled with the entirety of the beach’s sand and the weight of the island behind him on his shoulders. His tongue felt fat in his mouth making it hard to bite back an insult, let alone swallow.

The surge of tightness clenched at his chest when Sanji smiled at Zoro. His stomach felt like it was going to turn inside out. Ugh. God. Why was he suddenly feeling so...ughhh, this was so embarrassing. Why was he feeling so  _ sappy?!  _

Pushing down the strange butterflies that flapped around inside him, Zoro leaned forward to untie his boots and roll his pants up. When he stood, he teetered before he regained himself. He hoped Sanji didn’t see.

“Warm, isn’t it?” Sanji said, his eyes forced into little crescents from his toothy grin. 

The water was indeed quite warm after basking in the summer’s sun all day. It felt good, like a much needed bath he was probably overdue for. As Zoro approached and stood next to his Soulmate, the string between them had shortened to only a few feet in length. The middle was just long enough to lay over the water.

“I’m looking for these little bastards here.” Sanji extended his hands to show Zoro a striped clam shell. “And these,” he said and rolled the pile in his hands so a different shell was exposed, one with polka dots. “They will make for a great chowder. It’s bound to get cold tonight without any mountains or trees to block the wind coming off the ocean. This should keep everyone’s bellies full and warm.”

And there Zoro’s heart went again, swelling to a size that was uncomfortable beneath his ribcage. How could someone with a stupid, curly eyebrow make him feel like his knees were too weak to hold him up any longer?! 

“Hey,” Zoro blurted, unsure how he even managed to say anything at all. Sanji looked to Zoro, giving a soft ‘hm?’ to indicate he was listening. The sun reflected across his glassy eye, trying to drown out the incredible blue of his iris but to no avail. Sanji’s eyes were unbeatable. Nothing could compare - not the ocean, not the sky, and certainly not any of those frilly sapphire stones they saw back at that one island. No, Sanji’s eyes were unique, significant, and so, so, so easy to get lost in.

“What is it?” Sanji said, waving his hand in front of Zoro’s face. 

“Oh. Sorry. I...was distracted.”

“I could see that. Spit it out or help with these damn mussels. We’ll need a shit ton more than what we have if I plan to feed Luffy,” Sanji said and bent back down to search in the water. Although his sleeves were rolled up past his elbow, they were still soaked.

Zoro took a deep breath in, tasting the salt in the air. “Remember a few weeks back when we were in the galley? And you were sayin’ somethin’ about our string?” Sanji’s arms stopped moving under the water. He waited there frozen for a beat or two, then stood to toss a few more shells into the basket. “You mentioned something about-”

“The ends meeting,” Sanji finished for him. “Yeah, I remember.” He wiped his pruny hands over the dry part on his pants and patted his backside down for his smokes. Zoro watched him light up, inhale as deep as his lungs would allow him, and hold the smoke in. He looked into the sun then closed his eyes before it burned straight through him. The smoke was exhaled. “You didn’t go asking about it between then?”

Zoro thought about it, he really did. To ask Nami  _ again _ about Soulmates was beyond humiliating, so she was out. Vivi was a nice gal, she’d for sure tell Zoro whatever she knew! But then they were thrown into war against the Alabastians and a power-hungry Warlord, so she was out, too. After Vivi’s land was returned to the Royal Throne, Robin joined. Now that would have been the perfect person to ask about Soulmates - shit, to ask about anything, really. She had a good head on her shoulders and Zoro knew if there was something he wanted to know, he oughta go to Robin. 

Robin was just another witch, though. Not in the same way as Nami, no, she was a witch in a much darker, creepier way. Zoro shivered just thinking of owing anything to her. He’d settle with a debt up to his fucking ears over anything with that freakshow. 

“No, I wanted you to tell me,” Zoro said, which was partially true! Between Nami and Robin, he’d honestly pick neither! So hell yeah he’d rather it come from Sanji. Not only did he trust him more, but it would also  _ mean _ more. Unless what he was about to say was complete garbage. Sanji continued to puff on his cig, the smoke curling up into his nostrils before he blew it into the air. Zoro’s eye twitched as he grew impatient. Snatching the cigarette from his fingers, he held it out behind him so Sanji couldn’t grab it back.

“Oi, you fucking shit-head! Give that back!”

“Are you gonna explain the fuckin string shit to me or do I gotta squeeze it outta you?!” Zoro said, stepping back when Sanji came for him.

The blonde growled. “I was already going to tell you! I was just-”

“Taking your sweet ass time, is what you were doin. Now just fuckin say it, will you?” Zoro snapped.

With both hands, Sanji wrapped his fists up in red thread and yanked Zoro forward, almost causing him to crash into his front but Sanji held him up by the shoulder. When Zoro stood up, they were less than a foot apart. Slowly, Zoro handed the cigarette back over.

“It’s sort of romantic, what happens, you know?” Sanji chuckled, scrunching his shoulders up to hide the back of his neck when the wind blew cool air at them. “I’m sure a big, dumb gorilla like  _ you _ wouldn’t care.”

That wasn’t true. That wasn’t true at all. If it had to do with Sanji, Zoro cared a great deal. The thin thread that tied them together was there because fate had  _ bound _ them together. They found each other because fate had  _ pulled _ them together. And they  _ stayed _ together because that’s what...that’s what  _ they _ wanted together. There was nothing else keeping them together now but themselves. Zoro closed the small distance between them and held his hand up for Sanji. The string was barely even six inches long.

“I want to know. Tell me, Sanji.”

The corner of the blonde’s mouth curled in a shy smile, his lips twisting a little as if he were trying to hold back. “Well, since you insist,” Sanji said. He pinched out the spent cigarette with his fingers and pocketed the butt. He grabbed Zoro’s wrist with his left hand to keep it still, his right hand hovering palm-to-palm.

The wind tossed Sanji’s hair about and Zoro was afraid he would miss the whole explanation from being distracted by the image of Sanji’s other eye showing. His free hand reached out to grip Sanji by his upper arm to still the blonde, or still  _ himself, _ fuck he didn’t even know anymore. How could one person be so breathtaking? The waves forced themselves against their legs, trying to throw them off balance. Breathing through his nose wasn’t working anymore, he had to open his mouth, almost panting with anxiety. The corners of Zoro’s eyes pricked as tears threatened to well up and fall. He sniffled to hold them at bay.

Those impossibly blue eyes bore into him with just as much intensity as Zoro was sure he was giving back. The sun was touching the horizon now. “It’s said when the two knots at the end of a single Soulmate thread touch,” Sanji started. He loosened his grip on Zoro’s wrist and let his hand slide up his arm. The other hand, the one that connected them, was brought in front of Zoro’s. Unable to tear his gaze away, Zoro saw in his peripheral that the blonde widened his fingers to open it up, so Zoro copied. The heel of their palms rested together. “Then their bond will be sealed...and they will become one.”

Was the loud thumping in his ears his own heartbeat that he heard, or was it Sanji’s? The smaller the gap between their fingers was from touching, the less sound Zoro heard. In the back of his mind, he wondered if it was the same for Sanji, too. 

Zoro stared with his mouth hanging open. 

He stared for three reasons. The first was because the white noise of the surrounding ocean had disappeared completely and all he could hear was the harsh, raspy breaths he took to keep himself alive in this second monumental moment of his life.

The second reason was because those harsh breaths he tried breathing took more work than it oughta. He heaved air into his lungs and even stumbled sideways as another wave crashed into them, the blonde tightening his hold in the sleeve of his t-shirt to keep him steady. Who knew breathing was so hard.

And the third was because the man in front of him was  _ beyond beautiful _ and he’d never get tired of it. Of him. 

As if Sanji could feel everything he could, they simultaneously laced their fingers together and the knots of their shared red string, the one of which represented Soulmates, finally connected at the same time the sun had disappeared to the other side of the world. 

The two were cast under the blanket of night except for a small glow between them, highlighting their faces. Zoro’s eyes watered because he dared not blink lest he miss a single second of the man before him. The thread had turned into a bright gold, glimmering against Sanji’s smooth, pale skin. 

With their Soulmate bond momentarily sealing them together, Zoro felt...different? Never in his nineteen years of life did he ever feel incomplete until just then when the other half of his existence connected with him, filling in the hole in his chest he never knew was there.

Suddenly, Zoro felt an urge inside him to lurch forward and press his lips to Sanji’s  _ and so he did. _ Their first kiss was exhilarating and mind-numbing and...and...and it was wet. Sanji was crying and his tears fell down his cheeks, which also fell down Zoro’s. But it was okay, they were happy tears, and those were allowed. Against his lips, Zoro could feel Sanji smiling into their kiss. Zoro slid his free hand up Sanji’s shoulder and to the back of his neck, holding him in place in fear the man would float away if he didn’t. Their other hands were still laced together, shaking from either the bond or the water that had gone cold without the sun’s heat.

After a lifetime had passed, they broke apart, gasping for breath. Their string was no longer glowing and now they were truly left alone in the darkness. The thread was permanently colored gold, leaving the red a thing of the past now that they were one with another. Zoro released his hand from Sanji’s so he could cup his face, the blonde mimicked him and who knew it would feel so good to have calloused thumbs repeatedly rub over your cheeks.

Leaning his forehead against Sanji’s, Zoro tried catching his breath, another thing that seemed so impossible. Sanji was lightly laughing now, his voice shaky with disbelief, and it made Zoro laugh, too. His gut did somersaults as they chuckled together into the night. Everything felt...perfect. Such a strong word but it was the only one that felt right to describe his feelings. It was either perfect or something else.

“Sanji, Sanji,” Zoro said between bubbles of laughter trying to get the other’s attention. The blonde tried to regain himself to listen and Zoro felt his fingers glide past his ears and into his short, green hair. Shivering and teeth clattering together, Sanji hummed he was listening. “What does love feel like?”

Sanji broke into a jittery laughter again, too high on the moment to be his usual calm self. The tide had come in while they stood there, swallowing them to their waists, and a large wave sent them stumbling sideways over the basket at their feet. They were soaked to their shoulders, freezing their asses off but still making no move to leave, not yet. Zoro held Sanji’s face so he couldn’t look anywhere but him, unknowing the blonde wouldn’t even  _ think _ of looking elsewhere. Sanji’s lip quivered from the cold as he said, “It feels like this, Zoro.”

Oh...that was good. Then yeah, that’s what he was feeling. What he had  _ been _ feeling for a while now. It would answer why his insides felt funny any time he looked the blonde’s way, or why time itself seemed to stop when Sanji smiled for him. The two of them kissed again and it was just as wet as the first time.  _ Love feels like this.  _

When they parted, Zoro nodded his agreement against Sanji’s forehead. “Yeah, I thought so, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> [PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF SANJI LOOK AT THIS ART PIECE INSPIRED BY THIS FIC by @vinsmooch1 on Twitter](https://twitter.com/vinsmooch1/status/1345352425515831298?s=20)  
> You will regret not looking! It perfectly conveys the moment and more. 
> 
> ((psssttt, I'm on Twitter @sydneyxface))


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